Animal device for collecting an animal&#39;s seminal fluid

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a device for sampling animal seminal liquid, notably boar seminal liquid, exhibiting at least one housing capable of accommodating a penis and a trigger for ejaculation. According to the invention, the ejaculation trigger includes a mechanism to subject the walls of the housing to pulses intended for stimulating the penis. The invention also concerns a facility for collecting an animal seminal liquid including such a device and also a usage thereof or of said facility for collecting boar seminal liquid.

RELATED U.S. APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns a device for collecting animal seminal liquid, aswell as a facility for collecting such a liquid, comprising such deviceand a usage of said device and/or said facility for collecting boarseminal liquid.

However, although more particularly suited for such applications, theinvention could also be used for any other type of species, moreparticularly animal species.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Currently, boar semen is collected manually. Such an operation is longand tedious, the more so with such specie because the process may takeup to several minutes. Moreover, it raises hygiene problems.

For other species, mechanical devices have already been suggested forcollecting seminal liquid. They remain nevertheless rudimentary sincethey generally address animals whereof the ejaculation time is veryshort, notably a few seconds, let alone a few fractions of a second asis the case for rabbits, horses or bulls.

The object of this invention is to offer a device for collecting animalseminal liquid, as well as a facility for collecting such a liquid,enabling to remedy the previous shortcomings and authorizing mechanizedand automated intervention.

Another object of this invention is to offer a device for collectinganimal seminal liquid, as well as a facility for collecting such aliquid which authorizes interventions with high hygienic level.

Another object of this invention is to offer a device for collectinganimal seminal liquid, as well as a facility for collecting such aliquid, which enable to do away with the use of a heat-exchanging fluidheated to cause ejaculation, since heat is a spermicidal agent.

Another object of this invention is offer a device for collecting animalseminal liquid, as well as a facility for collecting such a liquid,which may operate reliably and reproducibly over an extended period oftime.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing description, given only for exemplification purposes andwithout being limited thereto.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates first of all to a device for sampling animalseminal liquid, notably boar seminal liquid, exhibiting at least onehousing capable of accommodating the penis and means to trigger theejaculation, characterized in that said ejaculation-triggering means arecomposed of means to subject the walls of said housing to pulsesintended for stimulating the penis.

The invention also concerns a facility for collecting an animal seminalliquid, notably boar seminal liquid, comprising such a device.

The invention also concerns a usage of the device and of the facilitydescribed above for collecting boar seminal liquid.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be understood better when reading the followingdescription, accompanied by the appended drawings.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary device forcollecting seminal liquid according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of such a device, once assembled.

FIG. 3 is a front view according to FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along the line IV—IV represented on FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of an embodiment variation of an element ofFIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an upper perspective view of an embodiment example of theseminal liquid collection facility according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns first of all a device for collecting animalseminal liquid.

As illustrated on FIGS. 1 to 5, it comprises at least a housing 1,capable of accommodating the penis, and means to trigger theejaculation.

According to the invention, said elements are composed of means 2 tosubject the walls of said housing 1 to pulses intended for stimulatingthe penis.

They are for example pulses controlled manually or automaticallyaccording to a chosen cycle, notably intended for simulating the uterinecontractions of the female.

One may choose, for exemplification purposes, to exert a first pressurefor the mating of the penis in the housing, then a constant pressureduring mating, and then several sporadic pressures during the collectionto maintain the stimulation.

One obtains therefore a mechanized device, which may even be automated.

Said housing 1 extends, for instance, longitudinally between anintroduction orifice 3 of the penis and an evacuation orifice 4 of theseminal liquid.

Said ejaculation-triggering means are then capable of causing asubstantially radial deformation of the walls of said housing 1, overtheir whole length, notably in the manner of sporadic pressures.

Said housing 1 emulates, for example, the shape of the vagina of thefemale of the corresponding specie.

As will appear more particularly on FIGS. 4 and 5, it may then be,notably substantially helicoidal in shape, suited to the penis of theboar.

In this sense, said housing is defined, for example, by a three stephelix. It is notably 60 to 80 mm in length, for instance about 65 mm.Such a length enables the device to act upon the active portion of thepenis of the boar, notably by letting its end protrude. It also enablesto ensure good introduction of the penis and promotes the handability ofthe device.

Said device is composed, for example, of a tubular flexible membrane 5,delineating internally said housing 1, and a rigid sheath 6, alsotubular and receiving internally said membrane 5. Said membrane 5 andsaid sheath 6 delineate together a sealed air chamber 7 and said devicecomprises moreover means, not represented, to vary the pressure of theair in said chamber. In a manner known to the man of the art, they maybe any pressurized air supply means. The result is then a reliable andheavy-duty device.

The pressure applied in said chamber is, for example, homogeneous overits whole length.

So, advantageously, said means to subject the walls of said housing topulses intended for stimulating the penis are provided, enablinglocalized stimulation thereof, notably close to its extremity.

Thus, the penis may be highly stimulated as of the applications of thefirst pressures and proper mating can be guaranteed.

As illustrated on FIG. 5, to enable such localized stimulation, saidhousing 1 exhibits locally a narrowed section, notably at the evacuationorifice 4 of the seminal liquid. Thus, although the pressure applied inthe chamber 7 is homogeneous, a pressure gradient may be obtained at thepenis.

More accurately, said housing 1 exhibits for example a decreasingsection from said inlet orifice 3 to said evacuation orifice 4. Saidhousing is thus delineated notably by the volume described by a circlewhereof the center follows a helicoidal path along the longitudinal axisof the membrane, whereas said circle remains orthogonal to saidlongitudinal axis. Said circle also exhibits a decreasing radius fromsaid introduction orifice to said evacuation orifice. Said helicoidalpath may exhibit a constant radius or a radius decreasing from saidintroduction orifice to said evacuation orifice.

Such a shape, which delineates a truncated aperture, facilitates thepenetration of the penis. Consequently, the outlet orifice will remainsufficiently large in order to prevent the penis from being blocked.

Said housing may also be extended axially by a cylindrical portiondelineated by an annular axial extension of the membrane 5, notrepresented, at either of its ends. Said device may also comprise meansfor pinching said extensions, intended for increased stimulation of thepenis.

Said membrane is composed, for instance, of a mixture of silicon andoil.

The flexibility of said membrane 5 enables to provide the requesteddeformations under the effect of the air injected into said chamber 7.

Said sheath 6 is, for example, cylindrical. It is composed notably of abody 8 and of longitudinal ends 9, 10 of smaller thicknesses.

Said membrane 5 nests onto said sheath 6 at its longitudinal ends 9, 10.To this end, it is fitted with an annular groove 11 situated at theextreme poles 12, 13. The latter may cover said longitudinal ends 9, 10of the sheath, in order to confer homogeneous external aspect to thedevice.

Said membrane may be attached to the body using two flexible clampsensuring, with two coaxial lips provided on said membrane, at eachlongitudinal end of said chamber, good tightness of said chamber.

Said membrane 5 exhibits, notably, a cylindrical external face 14delineating with the internal face 15 of the body of the sheath, saidchamber 7. Said membrane 5 and said sheath 6 may be coaxial.

As already evoked, the internal face of said membrane can be adaptedaccording to the specie in question. As regards the external face of thesheath, it can be fitted, at the body 8, with an air introductionorifice 16 between said chamber 7.

Said flexible membrane 7 may be capable of being coated with aprotection film, more commonly called a single use condom. Thus, theinterventions will be more hygienic. Said condom is open at both itslongitudinal ends, whereas said ends can be folded up at thelongitudinal ends of the body 8 to attach said condom.

Said device can be fitted with a handling grip, for example attached tosaid body. Said grip will make the handling easier when inserting thepenis into the device. Said grip may integrate control means to vary thepressure in the chamber 7, for example using two knobs to adapt thepressure cycle.

As illustrated on FIG. 6, the invention also concerns a facility forcollecting animal seminal liquid comprising a device 17 for samplingsuch a liquid, as described above. With such a facility, the operatorneed not hold said device 17 any longer.

Said facility comprises, for instance, a reinforcement 18, notablytubular, intended for simulating the presence of the female, whereby theoperator's interventions are then reduced to a minimum.

Said device 17 can be mounted mobile with respect to said reinforcement18. To this end, said reinforcement may be fitted with a rail 19 and acarriage 20, mobile on said rail, whereas said device 17 is supported atthe carriage 20 by a framework 21, possibly orientable, notably freely,under the effect of the loads inflicted by the animal to the device 17.

Said facility may also comprise a receptacle 22 to accommodate saidseminal liquid and means for supporting said device 17, notably saidframework 21, as tilted towards said receptacle 22. It may, for example,a goblet, independent from said device. The seminal liquid may then flowby gravity.

Said facility may also comprise a filter, not represented, between saiddevice 17 and said receptacle 22.

Said reinforcement may be made tiltable using a system hinges attachedto the ground, thereby facilitating its cleaning and its disinfection.

The invention finally concerns a usage of the device 17 and/or of thefacility described above for collecting boar seminal liquid.

Other embodiments and/or other applications, understandable to the manof the art, could also be contemplated, without departing from theframework of the invention.

1. A device for sampling seminal liquid of an animal comprising: ahousing having an interior suitable for accommodating a penis of theanimal, said housing emulating a shape of a vagina of the animal, saidinterior being substantially helicoidal in shape, said housing havingwalls extending around said interior; and an ejaculation-triggeringmeans attachable to said walls of said housing for subjecting said wallsto pulses suitable for stimulating the penis of the animal so as totrigger an ejaculation.
 2. The device of claim 1, said housing extendinglongitudinally between an introduction orifice and an evacuationorifice.
 3. The device of claim 2, said ejaculation-triggering means forcausing a substantially radial deformation of said walls of said housingover an entire length of said walls.
 4. The device of claim 1, saidhousing comprising: a tubular flexible membrane defining said interiorof said housing; a rigid sheath receiving said flexible membranetherein, said flexible membrane and said sheath defining a sealedchamber therebetween, said chamber having air therein; and pressurizingmeans cooperative with said chamber for varying a pressure of the air insaid chamber.
 5. The device of claim 1, said housing having a narrowedsection suitable for localized stimulation of the penis.
 6. The deviceof claim 4, said flexible member being coated with a protection film. 7.The device of claim 1, further comprising: a sampling means cooperativewith said housing for sampling the seminal liquid.
 8. The device ofclaim 7 further comprising: a reinforcement affixed to said samplingmeans such that said sampling means is mobile with respect to saidreinforcement.
 9. The device of claim 7, said sampling means comprising:a receptacle suitable for receiving the seminal fluid; and a supportingmeans connected to said housing for supporting said housing in tiltedfashion toward said receptacle.
 10. The device of claim 9, said samplingmeans further comprising: a filter positioned between said housing andsaid receptacle.